Daejeon Metropolitan City has finalized the selection of 10 promising local venture and startup companies for the '2025 D-Unicorn Project' and is focusing on fostering them into global unicorn companies.
The selected companies will receive comprehensive support, including growth acceleration funds, a dedicated business lounge, and programs linking them to global expansion and investment attraction. Through this, the city plans to actively support innovative companies in entering the global market and achieving unicorn status.
The companies selected this time have received high evaluations for their technological prowess, growth potential, and market scalability. They are diverse in terms of industry, spanning machinery/robotics, functional materials, bio, renewable energy, electrical/electronics, and information communication.
The selected companies are: ▲'SLM' in machinery/robotics, ▲'Inertia' and 'JJNS' in functional materials, ▲'Ilias Biologics' in bio, ▲'Ecoine Energy' and 'H&Power' in renewable energy, ▲'Picopac' and 'Fine SNS' in electrical/electronics, and ▲'Redwit' and 'Movaill' in information communication.
Daejeon City plans to provide each of these companies with approximately 70 million KRW in growth acceleration funds. It will also offer customized programs to substantially drive their growth, such as prototype production, product advancement, technology transfer, intellectual property acquisition, consulting, and public relations.
Furthermore, all selected companies will be granted 'Unicorn Membership' and will have priority access to the 'D-Unicorn Lounge,' a dedicated business space established by Daejeon City. This aims to enhance the companies' external image and facilitate networking.
In addition to the newly selected companies, existing D-Unicorn companies will also continue to have access to various growth support programs, including global expansion and investment attraction linkage programs, and opportunities to participate in domestic and international exhibitions and IR events.
The 'D-Unicorn Project' is Daejeon City's flagship startup and venture nurturing program, selecting and supporting 10 companies annually since 2022. It targets unlisted small and medium-sized venture companies headquartered in Daejeon, that are at least three years old and have attracted cumulative investment of 500 million KRW or more within the past five years.
This year, a total of 41 companies applied, and after document and presentation evaluations, the final 10 companies were selected. The competition rate and the technological level of the participating companies have been increasing year by year.
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